AnOther speak to Casting Director Rosie Vogel about the blend of British faces at Topshop Unique A/W14
Margot Tenenbaum helped inspire the new A/W14 Topshop Unique collection, recognisable in sheepskin gilets, blanket coats and skater skirts, in a muddy colour palette of brown, cobalt blue, avocado and grey. However, this was Margot pre-gloom – a fervent delinquent by the school gates, coat hanging off one shoulder. “We started off with this idea of girl gangs and the cool girl at school,” says Rosie Vogel, Casting Director for Topshop. “It was important that the girls had their own personalities, their own spirit.” And that they did, with a line up that included Binx Walton in embroidered lace, Eliza Cummings, hands tucked into a textured bomber, and new face Holly Rose Emery wearing the collection’s standout patchwork fur coat.
"It was important that the girls had their own personalities, their own spirit" — Rosie Vogel
“It wasn’t about lots of hair and make-up, we wanted it to be really fresh,” Vogel continues. “London Fashion Week does unfortunately get squeezed in, between Milan and New York. The Gucci casting takes out a lot of girls over the weekend so we don’t have much time with them. We had some great personalities this year though.” The show mixed new faces such as Waleska Gorczevski with seasonal favourites including Jourdan Dunn, Nastya Sten and Sam Rollinson.
1970's glamour was fused with Topshop’s favoured 90’s throwbacks, seeing toffee tailoring and belted furs worn with puffer jackets and tattoo-inspired embroidery. Models marched to the Beyoncé-beat — ‘Run the World,’ along with M.I.A and other fired-up female vocalists, who empowered the pop-colour furry ensembles.
“British girls have the best attitude," says Vogel. "They like to have fun and have their own personal style. I think it is often not about making them look like anybody else, but letting them be themselves.”
Text by Mhairi Graham
